


A New Arrangement

by AgentStannerShipper



Series: tumblr ficlets [122]
Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Other, more a mini character/relationship study than anything else, speedrun edition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-04-25 18:48:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22329880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentStannerShipper/pseuds/AgentStannerShipper
Summary: It took two years, five months, three weeks, and six days for Beelzebub to realize what was going on. In zir defence, ze didn’t think Gabriel had figured it out either, and that at least makes zir feel a little better about the whole thing.They were dating.
Relationships: Beelzebub/Gabriel (Good Omens)
Series: tumblr ficlets [122]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1250822
Comments: 9
Kudos: 93





	A New Arrangement

**Author's Note:**

> For a tumblr anon who wanted Gabriel or Beelzebub realizing they were doing more than just fraternizing with the enemy.

It took two years, five months, three weeks, and six days for Beelzebub to realize what was going on. In zir defence, ze didn’t think Gabriel had figured it out either, and that at least makes zir feel a little better about the whole thing.

They were dating.

At least, in human terms they were dating, although Beelzebub couldn’t be sure precisely how much of human terminology should apply to them. They were, after all, supernatural beings – ethereal and occult respectively – and therefore not entirely bound by human concepts. But in this, at least, Beelzebub had to acquiesce to humanity: they were copying Crowley and Aziraphale, who were copying humans, and what they were copying were dating rituals.

It had started innocuously, just after the cancellation of Armageddon. Beelzebub had spoken to zir people, and Gabriel to his, and then the archangel had reached out tentatively for a meeting. Beelzebub had been wary, but ze had gone.

They’d met on Earth – neutral ground – in St. James’s park. In the distance, Beelzebub could make out a pair walking arm in arm, black jacket and beige overcoat. Zir lip curled. Then a hand had tapped zir on the shoulder, and Beelzebub had whirled on the spot, hackles raised. Ze stopped, and then looked up, squinting suspiciously at purple eyes.

“Hi,” Gabriel said.

“Szztate your purpose for this meeting,” Beelzebub retorted.

It had gotten better from there.

Gabriel explained his theory: Crowley and Aziraphale’s frequent interaction must have inoculated them to the effects of holy water and hellfire. Logically, by copying their actions, Gabriel and Beelzebub could gain the same immunity.

“Why would you helzzp me?” Beelzebub had questioned.

Gabriel shrugged. “Can’t do it alone.”

It was a fair point, and so began the Arrangement. Gabriel had made up a legal document and everything, written by Heaven’s best scribes. Beelzebub had taken it down to Hell and had the soul contract department take a look at it. It had taken two months to satisfy both of them.

Spending time with Gabriel was…not awful, Beelzebub had to admit. Ze didn’t much like running, which Gabriel was incredibly fond of, but ze did like being carried around, which Gabriel was more than willing to do. They’d tried going out to eat, like they’d seen Crowley and Aziraphale doing many times, but Gabriel resisted consuming food and Beelzebub found any flavour short of fermentation too bland to be worth it. Ze drank a lot of wine and had fallen asleep, more than once, in the archangel’s lap.

And they both decided that going to arthouse films was a smashing success. Gabriel was fascinated by the overwhelming amount of nudity. Beelzebub liked throwing popcorn at the other patrons. They went to the cinema a lot.

It was the little things, Beelzebub reflected, that had changed. A year in, Gabriel had shown up with roses (he’d seen Crowley bring them to Aziraphale, he said). They’d shrived and died under Beelzebub’s touch. Gabriel had tucked one behind zir ear. Ze’d worn it all day. Another time, fed up with leaky plumbing and noxious fumes, Beelzebub had taken the elevator up to Heaven, marched straight into Gabriel’s office, and curled up on the floor for a nap. When ze’d woken up, ze’d been swaddled in a blanket, cradled in the archangel’s lap, Gabriel’s hand stroking through zir hair, heedless to the swarm of flies buzzing around his hand. Beelzebub had yawned, snuggled closer, and gone back to sleep. The Arrangement went from a cautious meeting of enemies to something to look forward to.

And two years, five months, three weeks, and six days after that first official meeting, sitting together in a tiny arthouse cinema, surrounded by flicked popcorn and holding Gabriel’s hand, Beelzebub watched a pair of humans onscreen exchange roses and then mash their faces together, and understanding dawned on zir. Ze looked up at Gabriel, who noticed the motion, and smiled briefly down at zir before returning his attention to the screen.

_I like his stupid, dumb face, _Beelzebub realized. Ze shoved up the armrest and cuddled closer, and Gabriel dropped zir hand in favour of draping an arm around zir shoulder without complaint.

_We’ll try face-mashing next_, Beelzebub decided. After the movie. There was a particularly interesting nude scene coming up, and Beelzebub knew Gabriel wouldn’t want to miss it.


End file.
